5.3 Energy and Ecosystems

Question 1

Why is CO2 important?

Answer 1

In any ecosystem, plants synthesise organic compounds from atmospheris or aquatic CO2.

Question 2

What is Biomass?

Answer 2

The biological molecules synthesised by plants and organisms make up its biomass.
Biomass can be measured in terms of mass of carbon or dry mass of tissue per given area per given time

Question 3

How do you estimate the chemical energy stored in dry biomass?

Answer 3

Using calorimetry which is the burining of the biomass.

Question 4

What is GPP- Gross Primary Production?

Answer 4

The chemical energy store in plant biomass in a given area in a given time
(The units for biomass)

Question 5

What is NPP- Net Primary Production?

Answer 5

Chemical energy store in plant biomass after repiratory losses to the environment of that organism have been taken into account

Question 6

How do you calculate NPP?

Answer 6

GPP-R

GPP is gross production and R is respiratory losses to the environment.

Question 7

How do you calculate N- Net production of consumers?

Answer 7

N= I - (F+R)
Where I is chemical energy store in food
Where F is chemical energy lost to the environment in faeces and urine
Where R represents respiratory losses